Policy and Strategy Committee

Tuesday 2 December  2003 at 3.00 pm

Present:  Provost Rebecchi, Councillors Blair, Forbes, Fyfe, Hill, McCormick (M), Mitchell, Nimmo,  Roach,  Robertson and Snoddy.

Chair:  Councillor Blair presided.

In attendance:  Chief Executive, Depute Chief Executive, Director of Community & Protective Services, Ms E Henderson (for Director of Education Services), Director of Finance, Director of Legal & Support Services, Director of Social Work & Housing Services, Head of Personnel Services and Managing Solicitor (Committees/Contracts).

Apologies:  Councillor McCabe.

872

Political Management Arrangements

872

There was submitted a report dated 21 November 2003 by the Chief Executive on the background to the present political management arrangements and presenting options for consideration, taking account of the remits from the meetings of the Committee in May and November 2003.

Decided:

(1)      that Option 1 not be pursued because of its limited impact in dealing with the problem of over-bureaucracy in the Council;

(2)      that Option 3 not be pursued.  Although this option would assist in reducing excessive paperwork and meetings, nonetheless its application at this stage would be likely to cause separate problems.  The Council should, however, consider at some stage investigating what advantages, if any, have been gained by those Councils that have adopted the Executive System, with a view to establishing whether any of such advantages could be translated into a Committee structure;

(3)      that a recommendation be made to The Inverclyde Council to adopt Option 2, but varied in order that it may be applied as set out in the following paragraphs;

(4)      that the functions of the Best Value and Performance Review Committee and the Corporate Business Committee be carried out by a single Committee and that the Council be recommended to amalgamate these Committees under a name to be agreed;

(5)      that no action be taken at this stage with regard to Area Committees;

(6)      that the Planning & Traffic Management Sub-Committee become a separate Committee rather than a Sub-Committee of the Economic Regeneration Committee to avoid potential conflicts between the economic regeneration and planning functions and to allow a wider range of Council Members to participate in planning matters; and that the creation of the new Committee, including allowance for the use of Substitute Members, be referred to the Standing Orders Working Group;

(7)      that arising from the separation of the Social Work and Housing functions and the decisions to be made with regard to the management structure, responsibility for homeless persons, benefit recovery and the central housing function be allocated to Committees as appropriate;

(8)      Agendas:  that items included in any agenda purely for noting in future be located in a separate appendix and that no discussion of such items take place unless requested by a Member seeking discussion of any item by giving no less than 48 hours notice and that this proposal be referred to the Standing Orders Working Group to be progressed; and

(9)      that the Standing Orders Working Group be convened to address the changes required and to report back to the Committee as soon as possible.

The Labour Members present stated that they would reserve their position in the meantime on the proposals made by the Majority Group until the meeting of The Inverclyde Council on 4 December 2003.

873

Chief Officers’ Review and Management Structure

873

There was submitted a report dated November 2003 by the Chief Executive requesting the Committee to consider a review of Chief Officers’ salaries and a review of the management structure.  (Councillor Roach left the meeting during consideration of this item of business.)

There was circulated to the Committee a copy of a letter dated 2 December 2003 from the GMB regional organiser relative to the proposed Chief Officers’ Review and Management Structure. The Chief Executive made a number of points of clarification relative to the items raised in the letter which it was agreed be noted.

Decided:

(1)      that it be recommended to The Inverclyde Council that the proposed review of Chief Officers’ salaries and the implications of any alterations to these be completed within the present calendar year and that these reflect whatever changes may take place arising from the review being carried out by this Committee and the Council with regard to the management structure;

(2)      that a report be prepared by the Chief Executive in consultation with the appropriate Officers as soon as is practicable with regard to the implementation of the following proposals and any problems of a practical or technical nature which may result from these, and that thereafter this Committee give further consideration to these proposals:

(a)      Commercial Property:  that leasing, letting and marketing of commercial property become the sole responsibility of Economic Regeneration under the Head of Economic Development Services;

(b)      that all transport issues be dealt with by one department and have one single management structure;

(c)      Grounds:  that consideration be given to locating all grounds maintenance within a single department, preferably under the Community & Protective Services department, and subject to a review of all organisational aspects and budgetary arrangements;

(d)      Council Officers:  that consideration be given to the present role of the Council Officer with a view to this being strengthened, and there be greater clarity concerning his role;

(e)      Events/Arts/Tourism:  that activities within these areas be co-ordinated under one Officer and a decision taken as to which department has responsibility for this;

(f)       Youth Justice/Child Care:  that this remain with Social Work Services;

(g)      Separation of Social Work & Housing:  that in the event of agreement being given to the proposed separation of Social Work & Housing, it be recommended that responsibility for housing benefit be transferred to the Finance department, responsibility for homelessness and supporting people become the responsibility of Social Work and that core housing functions under the Head of Housing Services be transferred preferably to Economic Regeneration or, failing that, to such other department as may be appropriate;

(h)      Social Protection:  that the Chief Executive be asked to consider options with regard to responsibility for social protection and the most appropriate management line for this;

(i)       Adult Literacy/Numeracy:  that it be remitted to the Chief Executive and Director of Education Services to consider the recommendation that this be a function within Education;

(j)       Roads & Lighting:  that it be remitted to the appropriate Officers to make recommendations with a view to having responsibility for roads and lighting brought together  and the present element of separation brought to an end;

(3)      that to reflect the changes in the Committee structure and the recommendations above, confirmation be given that Social Work become a separate department under a Director responsible for its operation and that the Head of Housing Services continue to be responsible for the housing function subject to such variations as are dealt with above;

(4)      (i) that the Committee recommend to the Council that it appoint a Director of Corporate Services to be responsible for the matters specified in Appendix 4, namely, finance, purchasing, value for money, legal, licensing, courts, committees, members, personnel, information technology, publishing and GIS, a decision which would involve the absorption of Legal Services into Corporate Services, subject to adjustment to reflect any changes consequent on the decisions of this Committee and (ii) that it be confirmed that the post of Director of IT Services be not filled;

(5)      that in the event of any of these proposals, if approved, requiring procedural or practical steps being taken which might require a reasonable time to implement, then implementation of such changes be deferred as appropriate, but nonetheless take place as soon as is practicable;

(6)      that interviews required take place in line with the procedure outlined in para 10.10 of the report by the Chief Executive;

(7)      that it be agreed that the review of Heads of Service/Senior Officers within the Services be concluded as detailed in para 10.11;

(8)      that it be agreed that a Performance Review and Development Scheme be introduced for Chief Officers and that a further report thereon be submitted to the Committee;

(9)      that it be noted that all cost implications will be contained within the overall budget framework;

(10)    that it be remitted to the Chief Executive to consider appropriate job titles for all affected Chief Officers’ posts and to report thereon to the Committee;

(11)    that a review of salaries of Senior Officers take place in the light of the Council’s decisions with regard to the management structure agreed by the Council and that this review take place before the end of this calendar year or as soon as is practicable thereafter;

(12)    that steps be taken to expand the role of leisure activity and sports development within Education and that it be remitted to the Director of Education Services to report on this proposal to the next meeting of the Education and Lifelong Learning Committee; and

(13)    that Elected Members submit any proposals similar to those stated in paragraph (2) above to the Chief Executive for consideration.

The Labour Members present stated that they would reserve their position in the meantime on the proposals until the meeting of The Inverclyde Council on 4 December 2003.

It was agreed in terms of Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 as amended, that the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following item on the grounds that the business involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Part I of Schedule 7(A) of the Act.

874

Appendix - Chief Officers’ Review and Management Structure

874

There was submitted Appendix 5 relative to Item 1(b) providing comparative information on the salaries of individual employees of the Council and other organisations.

Noted